Kingdom Principle: What place does human government have in the life of the Christian? Does it have any place? Jesus speaks to the inherent quandary of human government. Government is good, because it was instituted by God, but it can be wicked because it is run by fallen and sinful men. Jesus speaks to the quandary by instructing us that we should give honor to government when appropriate but ultimately our allegiance should be to God Almighty.
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The __________________ __________________ of Human Government
Luke 20:22 (ESV) — 22 Is it lawful for us to give tribute to Caesar, or not?”
The inherent quandary of human government is that government has been given to mankind by God for the flourishing of its people, but mankind often use government for the destruction of its people.
Romans 13:1–7 (pg. 892)
God has instituted government for the peaceful governing of human society, in order that every individual might thrive, promoting the flourishing of the community as a whole.
Luke 20:22–25 (ESV) — 22 Is it lawful for us to give tribute to Caesar, or not?” 23 But he perceived their craftiness, and said to them, 24 “Show me a denarius. Whose likeness and inscription does it have?” They said, “Caesar’s.” 25 He said to them, “Then render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”
The real problem in this text is that the Caesar in question had assumed the position of God.
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An _____________________ ____________________ on Human Government
Luke 20:24–25 (ESV) — 24 “Show me a denarius. Whose likeness and inscription does it have?” They said, “Caesar’s.” 25 He said to them, “Then render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”
Jesus is saying that we are citizens of heaven and earth at the same time. This does not mean dividing life into compartments, as though God was not supreme in all of life or the duties of either aspect of our citizenship could be discharged without reference to those of the other. It means that we can neglect neither loyalty. The state must be respected and its directions complied with in the sphere that God allots it. It follows that the state rightly collects taxes to discharge its functions.
Caesar has no rights in God’s domain. The Christian’s first and overriding loyalty is to God. This does not justify him in renouncing his loyalty to Caesar, but it does mean that the most significant area of his life does not belong to Caesar. If Caesar strays into that area he can command no loyalty.
The coin that was presented to Jesus was a physical object that had a physical image on it that dealt with the buying and selling of physical goods. Therefore, it was only right that this remain committed to physical interactions. But one day these things will pass away.
1 Corinthians 6:13a (ESV) — 13 “Food is meant for the stomach and the stomach for food”—and God will destroy both one and the other…
What do we do when we are convinced that the government is not fulfilling its biblical mandate?
Luke 3:18–20 (ESV) — 18 So with many other exhortations he preached good news to the people. 19 But Herod the tetrarch, who had been reproved by him for Herodias, his brother’s wife, and for all the evil things that Herod had done, 20 added this to them all, that he locked up John in prison.
The power from on high was not military might or the right to overthrow governing officials; it was the power of the Holy Spirit to proclaim the gospel. This shook the very foundations of the ideological strongholds of the powers that be. (Acts 4:23-31)
How then are we to respond to a government that rejects God’s Word?
